Building The Browns 2020: Rookie Minicamp (Ep. 4) review
It’s time for Rookie Mini-Camp. Well, Virtual Rookie Mini-Camp.
In this episode of Building The Browns, the Cleveland Browns give us a closer look at their 2020 NFL Combine experiences with their newest rookies and how the organization is using virtual platforms to keep in touch with its players. In this episode, we also get a closer look at the Browns’ new head coach Kevin Stefanski’s expectations for his rookies and how his coaches echo his sentiments.
Meet Jedrick Wills
The episode opens up with Andrew Berry talking about Jedrick Wills at the NFL Combine and how they broke down his time at Alabama. The Browns coaching staff were shown breaking down plays from Alabama and putting Wills through the thought exercises as if he was playing the left side. Browns offensive line coach, Bill Callahan, said there were plays where Wills knew what the issues were on a play and what the corrections should have been. Callahan said Wills knows the game inside and out and is happy Joe Thomas supports the pick.
The exclamation point to the Wills part of the episode was when Joe Thomas and Wills spent time together breaking down film. One the first play they broke down, Wills acknowledges he oversets and allows the defender to get inside position. Thomas commented on when Wills is in man, he should square his shoulders and make sure his eyes aren’t all over the place. Thomas also compliments Wills on how quickly he gets out of his set and adjusts to the play. The second play was heavy to the left and counter concept. Wills is pulling to the left on a double team. After the play Wills showed excitement and fire with how the offensive line was pushing LSU down the field. Finally, Thomas also wasn’t shy when he said Jedrick was the best offensive lineman in the draft by a “large margin”.
Meet Grant Delpit and Jacob Phillips
Dave Aranda, former LSU defensive coordinator, and Baylor head coach, and Joe Woods, Browns defensive coordinator, give us an introduction to Grant Delpit and Jacob Phillips. Woods dives into Delpit’s versatility as a defender and says “Grant can play EVERYWHERE”.
Then Delpit is asked to talk about wearing No. 7 at LSU. Delpit says the number goes to the playmaker and leader on the field. He mentions that he is the voice of the room. Woods says Delpit is a confident young man with swagger. Woods added that he didn’t think Delpit would be there for them in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft and he would have gone in the first round.
Rookie Meet Coach Stefanski
Head coach Kevin Stefanski welcomes the 22 rookies to the Cleveland Browns. He says this is a special class and whether you are drafted or undrafted, there are key goals everyone needs to focus on:
Get your work done
GOALS: Learn the system; Get to know your coaches, teammates, and staff
Rookie Goals: Make the team; Contribute/play a role; win
WORK (we didn’t add anyone who is afraid of that word)
Rookie Tight Ends
Tight ends coach, Drew Petzing was the highlight of meeting the tight ends. There is a flashback to him meeting Harrison Bryant for the first time at the 2020 NFL Combine. Petzing mentioned the first time you turn on his tape he was really impressed with what he saw and getting to know him at the combine was great. Petzing was also impressed by Bryant’s maturity when he walked into the room. Petzing then went on sharing that he wants to know how Bryant and his other players learn. This helps him so he can teach better.
We then get a closer look at Harrison Bryant and he doesn’t disappoint. Bryant shares at the combine that he feels his biggest trait is his versatility and he learned the playbook at the Senior Bowl using the “poker chip method”. The “poker chip method” was shown to Bryant by Jordan Palmer during his training and he has carried it with him since. Additionally, we get to see Bryant’s homemade rack he made with wood and cement buckets.
Meeting Donovan Peoples-Jones
Coming out of high school Peoples-Jones was a five-star recruit and one of the best prospects in the country. Fast forward to the 2020 NFL Draft and Peoples-Jones found himself sliding into late Day 3 of the draft. Peoples-Jones was happy the Browns called him because it was getting scary and he didn’t know what to think. He shared that he was in an emotional state and went to get a shower. When the phone rang he was in the shower and was worried it was just someone he knew in Cleveland and not the Browns. From this episode, it did seem like Peoples-Jones was excited. He has a relationship with Jarvis Landry already through their agent.
Rookie Wide Receivers
The episodes last segment was catching up with wide receivers coach, Chad O’Shea. He shared the following slides with the rookie wide receivers:
WR IDENTITY – What is our mentality?
WR Job = Get Open – catch the ball – compete in the run game
SOME OTHER ADVICE: Say less, do more, just shut the f— up and work
Coach O’Shea left us with two final thoughts. The first one was “first your trying to make the team and then you are trying to make the team better.” The second was the team’s keywords to remember, “TEAM”, “TRUST”, and “WORK”.
Summary
What an excellent episode of Building The Browns and I love the continuity and theme through the season so far. The theme is “WORK”. From the hard work the front office does scouting, the coaches spend teaching and implementing the system, and the work the players are putting in, it is obvious the Browns want the viewers to know they are bringing their A-game every minute.
